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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Girls Who Wear Glasses Also see Gil's reviews of Uncle Vanya, Carousel, Cinderella, Love, Sex and the I.R.S., and God's Favorite
Mira's father died in an accident when she was much younger and her mother does her best in raising her alone. Mira, Tiffany, and Lindsay have been best friends for seven years. However, Tiffany doesn't approve of Mira's new glasses, telling her that people don't like girls who wear glasses. Tiffany, who is focused on being popular, suggests that Mira hide her new glasses away and only wear them when absolutely necessary. When Mira's teacher Ms. Scope divides the class into groups to write their "Middle School Philosophy," Mira is put in a group with Claire and Iris, two fellow eyeglass wearers. She discovers that she is now stuck between two sets of friends who both want her to be more like them. Negri's play portrays Mira and her friends in perfect 11-year-old fashion, with both appropriate dialogue and situations that any typical pre-teen experiences. Director Debra K. Stevens has assembled a gifted cast of four young women, several Childsplay regulars, who create three-dimensional characters with nuance. Stevens' direction provides an effective balance between the serious messages of the piece and the many humorous moments. She also manages a swift production, which isn't that easy when three of your actors portray more than one part. Kaleena Newman gives Mira an easygoing sensibility that makes her likable, which helps to make us feel for her when she is faced with several dilemmas. She brings a big dose of sweetness and determination and a winning sincerity to the role as well. Kate Haas plays both Mira's mom and her teacher, giving both characters a keen sense of maturity and authoritativeness while also allowing us to see and understand the struggles Mira's mom is going through in being a single parent. Jamie Sandomire and Osiris Cuen have the most fun in the show, portraying both sets of Mira's friends. But it is much more than just the simple addition of a pair of glasses that allow them both to move swiftly between the characters, as they also change their voice and physical mannerisms to morph from the popular girls to the less popular ones with ease. In one scene toward the end of the play, Sandomire and Cuen change between the parts so quickly that you feel all four girls are on stage at the same time when it is just the two actresses. Sandomire expertly displays the behavior of the bossy girl who pushes people around while Cuen is a hoot as the funny friend. All four ladies are exceptional in portraying their characters while also allowing children to grasp the message behind the play. While Jim Luther's set is made to be functional so it can be easily collapsed and transported by van from school to school, it is still a large, creative and colorful design. D. Daniel Hollingshead's costume, hair, and make-up designs allow the actresses to portray 11 year old girls with excellent results; and William Kirkham's lighting and Joey Trahan's sound design provide lovely creative touches, including some school and outdoor sound effects that add a sense of realism to those scenes. Girls Who Wear Glasses teaches the important life lessons of being proud of who you are and realizing everyone has differences that make them unique. This is yet another exceptional Childsplay production with an excellent cast, expert direction, professional creative elements, and a clear message for children of all ages. Girls Who Wear Glasses will continue touring into May throughout the state after the show closes at the Tempe Center for the Arts on March 29th. Girls Who Wear Glasses at Childsplay runs through March 29th, 2015, at the Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe, with performances on Saturdays at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. Tickets are on sale at www.childsplayaz.org or at the Tempe Center for the Arts Box Office (480) 350-2822 (ext. 0). Written by Anne Negri Cast:
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